Paper I: Questioned Documents & Handwriting Analysis

SEMESTER II

PSFS 201

PAPER I: QUESTIONED DOCUMENTS & HANDWRITING ANALYSIS

Unit I: Document Examination & Counterfeiting

Importance & Nature of Forensic Document Analysis. Types & Classification of Questioned Documents: Historical Documents, financial Documents, orders, records, tickets, books, exam papers, wills, posters, etc. Guidelines for collection of standard admitted/specimen writing. Procedures of Handling and marking of documents. Preliminary examination of documents. Indented and Charred Documents: its care and restoration. Photographic evidence. Documentation & Submitted evidence. Question Document Examiner’s Qualification and Trainers. Role of a Forensic Document Examiner & Effective Court presentation. Determination of age of documents: Potential applications & limitations. Introduction & definition of Counterfeiting. Types: Currency, coins, Government Bonds, Documents, Consumer Goods, certificates, etc. Manufacture & Circulation of Government coins & currency. Minting Process of Genuine coins. Types of counterfeit coin processes and their detection: Cast process and struck process. Characteristics of Genuine currency notes of various countries. Plastic currency: Examination of credit cards and similar material, security features, holographic marks and other characteristics. Methods employed by counterfeiters and methods for detection of counterfeits. Global scenario on growth of counterfeiting and relevant Provisions of Indian Penal Code,1860.

Unit II: Handwriting & Signature Analysis

Principles of identification of handwriting. Individual characteristics & Factors affecting handwriting. Physiology of writing: Rules and physiological principles of handwriting. Definition & different handwriting systems. Influence of individuality on letter construction, connecting strokes, beginning and ending strokes. Features & Qualities of writing: Line quality, abbreviations, alignment, arrangement, connections, initial strokes, pen lifts, pressure, punctuations, rhythm, shading, size, slope, terminal strokes, tremor, etc. Writing instruments & materials and their influence on writing. Relative speed of writing: Right & Left tendencies. Relative slant, Relative spacing between words, names & initials in a signature, letters within a word, lines of writing in an extended body of writing. Relative pressure and placement habits. Relative height and width relationship between letters. Relative relationship between letters and baseline. Identification in a practical situation and typical problems involving handwriting analysis. Identification of Genuine signatures. Accidental variations. Receipt signatures. Influence of drugs, alcohol, age, illness on handwriting and signature. Assisted or guided signatures. Identification of initials and illiterates’ marks. Examination of class and individual characteristics of numerals. Source, collection, preparation of standards.

Unit III: Forgeries & Secret Writing

Ancient forgeries and their methods of detection. Types of forgeries and identification of genuine and forged documents. Introduction to Forensic Stylistics and its application in identification of anonymous writer. Evaluation of Erasures and Alterations: Chemical and mechanical erasure, Addition, Interlineation, Obliteration, Deletion , Substitution, Trimming, Cutting Overwriting, Insertion. Deciphering alterations & erasures. Disguised writing and methods of identification. Forged and disguised or distorted signatures. Methods of producing forged signatures and its identification. Factors affecting forgeries: defects of free hand and traced forgeries. Anonymous letters: its content and authorship. Historical perspective of secret writings: Invisible inks, miniature writings, Hieroglyphics, Ciphers, cryptograms, etc. Terminologies of secret writing and Types of cipher: Autokey, Cipher, Ciphertext, Code, Cryptanalysis, Cryptography, Decrypt, Encrypt, Key, Monoalphabetic substitution, Plaintext, Polyalphabetic substitution, Steganography, Transposition, Alphabetic substitution, Caesar Cipher, Alberti Discus, Trimethius Cipher table, Vignenere Cipher.

Relevant Provisions of Indian Penal Code,1860 (Fraud and Forgery).

Unit IV: Printing Processes & Advanced Techniques in Document Analysis

History of Papers. Different types of Papers and parameters: opacity, colour, brightness, size, thickness, watermark. Carbon and Carbonless Paper examination. Typography: Parts and classification of fonts, measuring font size and line spacing (leading). Typographic line spacing (leading) and factors affecting it. Horizontal measurement of fonts. Classification system of type style. Examination of Typescript, typewriter standards, printed matter including security documents, currency, etc. Various types of Photostat machines: Typebar machines, High speed mainframe line printer (Drum and Chain printheads), Typewriter technology printers: (Typeball machines, Daisy wheel), Dotmatrix, Inkjet, Monochrome and Colour Laser, Magnetography, Thermal Wax/Pigment Printers, Dye Sublimation printers, Thermal Paper printers, Xerox, Digital offset printers. Black & White and Colour Photocopiers, Fax machine, Carbon copies. History of printing technologies. Their working and limitations. Cheque writing machines and their individual identifications. Examination process of rubber stamps impressions and their characteristics. Conventional printing processes: Offset lithography, Thermography, Intaglio, Letterpress printing and Screen printing. Types of inks and their composition and examination. Advanced techniques for document, handwriting and ink analysis: Stereomicroscope, Video Spectral Comparator (VSC), Electrostatic Detection Apparatus (ESDA), Spectrographic analysis of metals in inks, Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC), Electrophoresis, Image Enhancement using Photography and Scanning method.

PSFS P201

PRACTICALS

• Identification of General Characteristics of Handwriting

• Study of Natural variations in Handwriting

• Study of disguised writing

• Detection of simulated forgery and traced forgery

• Handling and preserving of charred documents

• Examination of forged documents using VSC

• Examination of alteration, erasures, overwriting, additions and obliteration

• Decipherment of secret writings

• Decoding cryptogram

• Study of handwriting on different surfaces

• Study of signatures and initials under various circumstances

• Thin Layer Chromatography of types of inks

• Examination of security documents, currency notes, lottery tickets, stamp papers, etc.

• Examination of Age of Document and ink

• Examination of typescript variations of different printing devices

• Study sequence of intersecting strokes

• Examination of watermarks in documents

• Comparison of documents examined on VSC with those examined on Stereomicroscope

• To study the indented and invisible writings.

• Examination of rubber stamp and other mechanical impression.

PSFS 202

PAPER II : FORENSIC CHEMISTRY

Unit I : General Drugs, Other Chemicals & Related Laws

Introduction, Pharma drugs(barbiturates, benzodiazepine &other pharma drugs), Drug abuse in sports & Date rape drugs: Introduction, common prohibited substances, analytical approach, Forensic Pharmacological studies, Ingestion of drugs ,absorption,

distribution, metabolism, pathways of drug metabolism, drug metabolism and drug toxicity, excretion of drugs, detection of drugs on the basis of their

Metabolic studies.

Solvent Abuse (chlorinated hydrocarbons, Aromatic hydrocarbons, alcohols, glycols, fuel and fuel additives): absorption, distribution, and metabolism, psychological & clinical effects.

Analysis: collection of sample, distillation & extraction, Analysis by GC, HPLC.

Legal Aspect:-

Case Studies and Relevant Provisions of –

• The Drugs Control Act,1940.

• The Drugs and Cosmetics Act,1940.

Unit II : Narcotic Drugs & Related Laws.

Introduction to narcotic drugs, Classification of narcotic drugs, analysis of NDPS evidence by various procedures prescribed by U.N. Manual, DFS manual, spot tests, microcrystal tests, extraction methods, TLC, UV-Vis spectrophotometry, IR spectrophotometry, GC-HPLC, MS, GC-MS, NMR and XRD as exemplified by cocaine, cannabis, amphetamines, opiates and hallucinogens (LSD, psilocybine and mescaline), evidence handling & sampling techniques, clandestine laboratory investigation and designer drugs.

Legal Aspect:-

Case Studies and Relevant Provisions of –

• NDPS Act,1985.

• Prevention of Illicit Trafficking in NDPS Act,1985.

Unit III : Petroleum Products & Related Laws.

Introduction, Analysis of petroleum products and residues: Distillation and fractionation, Various fractions and their commercial uses, Adulteration of petroleum products, Methods of commercial analysis of petroleum products as per ASTM and BIS standard, Comparison of petroleum products, Analysis of traces of petroleum products in forensic exhibits, characterisation of petroleum products by flash point, aniline point, cloud point, pour point, GC & GC-DHA.

Legal Aspect:-

Case Studies and Relevant Provisions of –

Petroleum Act, 1934.

Unit IV : Cement & Related Laws.

Introduction to Cement & construction material, Classification of Cement, composition, adulteration in cement.

Analysis of Cement, mortar And concert: Sampling, Analysis by Colour test, wet test, titration, atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), Inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy(ICP) & Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS)

Legal Aspect:-

Case Studies and Relevant Provisions of –

• The Industries (Development and Regulation) Act, 1951 .

• The Cement Control Order, 1967.

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PSFS P202

PRACTICALS

• Steroid(Anabolic) analysis by HPLC. (2 Nos.)

• Estimation Analysis of Petrolium Products by a)density b)viscosity c)flash point d)distillation e)GC-DHA f)HPTLC (2 Nos)

• Systematic identification of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic substances (opiates, cannabis and barbiturates,) by spot colour tests. TLC, UV, HPLC .(2 Nos.)

• Systematic identification of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic substances ( benzodiazepines and amphetamines) by spot colour tests. TLC, UV, HPLC .(2 Nos)

• Analysis of explosion residues (Preliminary analalysis, GC, GC-MS, ion chromatography {for inorganic explosive}).(2 Nos.)

• analysis of fire arson samples (extraction, GC, GC-MS) (2 Nos)

• Systematic extraction and identification of acidic and basic drugs from viscera (simulated sample).by wet test & GC.( 2 Nos)

• Systematic extraction and identification of acidic and basic drugs from viscera (simulated sample).by wet test & GC.( 2 Nos)

• Systematic analysis of cosmetic products as per IPC specification by using HPLC

• Systematic analysis of cosmetic products as per IPC specification by using GC.

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PSFS 203

PAPER III : MOTOR VEHICLE CRIMES & FORENSIC PHYSICS

Unit I: Forensic Ballistics (II).

Internal, External and terminal Ballistics:- Definition, ignition of propellants, shape and size of propellants, manner of burning, various factors affecting the internal ballistics: lock time, ignition time, barrel time, erosion, corrosion and gas cutting. Muzzle velocity; Barrel length and velocity, effect of quantity of gun powder, effect of bullet weight, twist versus muzzle velocity. Strength of barrel and other parts, Recoil, jump and vibration.

Principal problems of exterior ballistics, vacuum trajectory, effect of air resistance on trajectory, base drag, yaw, shape of projectile and stability, trajectory computation, ballistics coefficient and limiting velocity, Ballistics tables, measurements of trajectory parameters, introduction to automated system of trajectory computation and automated management of ballistics data.

velocity and pressure characteristics under different conditions

Effect of projectile on hitting the target: function of bullet shape, striking velocity, striking angle and nature of target, tumbling of bullets, effect of instability of bullet, effect of intermediate targets, influence of range Cavitations:- Temporary and permanent cavities, Ricochet and its effects, stopping power, Wound Ballistics; Threshold velocity for penetration of skin/flesh/bones, preparation of gel block, penetrative in gel block and other targets, nature of wounds of entry, exit, initial with various ranges and velocities with various types of projectiles, explosive wounds, evaluation of injuries caused due to shot-gun, rifle, handguns and country made firearms, methods of measurements of wound ballistics parameters, post-mortem and anti-mortem firearm injuries.

Recovery of fired shopts / projectiles, Measuring velocities of projectiles, Pattern testing of fired shots, Evaluation of target groups and determination of mean point of impact.

Principle and working of various components of Integrated Ballistics Identification System (IBIS).

Unit II: Vehicular Accident Reconstruction:

Introduction, Analytical tools used, Converting Scene data into an event sequence, Basic energy methods, Basic momentum methods, Accident analysis; Post crash movements, Collision model and Accident reconstruction calculations, Skid marks and evaluation of speed , Occupant kinematics, Biomechanics of injuries, Tips and solution strategies.

Unit III: Tire and other Marks

History of the tire; Mechanics of the tire tread; Tire scales; wear patterns; sidewalls; Recording tire impression evidence; Tire Casting and tire imprint photography, Wheelbase and tire tread stance measurements; A tire imprint identification system; The vital information derived from tire marks. Future trends and considerations. Importance, gait pattern, casting of footprint in different medium, electrostatic, lifting of latent footprints, taking of control sample. prints and skid marks, taking of control samples. Lip prints,Natural, location, collection and evaluation. Bite marks, Forensic significance, photography, lifting and preservation of bite marks and evaluation. Ear prints, Forensic significance, location, collection and evaluation taking of control samples of footprint, lip print and ear print for comparison.

Unit IV: Footwear and other Impression Evidence.

Importance, formation and information provided by footwear impressions, Types and location of footprint impression, collection and preservation of footprint impressions, Casting 3-D footwear impression, Photography of footprint impression, Treatment of 2-D footwear impression, Enhancement of footwear impressions, Footwear sizing and forensic considerations, known shoes of suspects and preparation of known impressions, Examination procedure of impression. Types of tool marks, compression marks, striated marks, combination of compression and striated marks, repeated marks, class characteristics and individual characteristics, tracing and lifting of marks ,photographic examination of tool marks and cut marks on clothes and walls etc. Restoration of erased / obliterated marks:- method of making cast, punch, engrave, methods of obliteration, method of restoration etching (etching for different metals), magnetic, electrolytic etc., recording of restored marks restoration of marks on wood, leather, polymer etc.

PSFS P203

Practical

• Study of pressure on metal disc and its co-relation with barrel pressure.

• Recoil velocity of a gun.

• Velocity of a bullet / projectile from penetration depth.

• Study of cavitation effect by using Gel blocks / soap blocks.

• Measurements of wound ballistic parameters.

• Study of entry and exit hole caused projectile.

• Accident reconstruction sample calculations.

• Photographs and plans of accident scene.

• Velocity estimation from skid marks.

• Physical examination of tyre.

• To study class characteristics of various tyres.

• Wear and tear of tyre.

• Wheelbase and tire tread stance measurements

• Lifting of tyre impressions.

• Casting of tyre impressions.

• Evaluation of tyre impressions.

• Photographic simulation of tyre evidence

• Lifting of foot wear impressions.

• Casting of foot wear impressions.

• Evaluation of foot wear impressions.

• Photographic simulation of foot wear evidence.

• Footwearsizin

• Restoration of erased / obliterated marks.

• Comparison of the questioned impression with known shoes

• photographic examination of tool marks and cut marks.

PSFS 204

PAPER IV : GENETIC ENGINEERING , BIOINFORMATICS &APPLIED FORENSICS

Unit I: Recombinant DNA Technology & Genetic Manipulations

Techniques in Recombinant DNA Technology: Nucleic acid purification, detection & hybridization, pulse field gel electrophoresis, measuring concentration of DNA & RNA with UV, radioactive labelling of Nucleic acids, detection of radio labelled DNA, fluorescence in detection of DNA & RNA, chemical tagging with biotin & Digoxigenin, hybridization of DNA & RNA, southern, northern, & western blotting, FISH, molecular beacons. (Ref: Mol bio D.P. Clark)

PCR: Types: inverse, RT PCR, differential display PCR, PCR in Genetic engineering, directed mutagenesis, real-time PCR, RAPD, RACE.

Genomics & DNA sequencing: General Principal, the chain termination method for sequencing DNA, DNA polymerase for sequencing DNA, producing template DNA for sequencing, DNA for sequence, primer walking along strand of DNA, automated sequencing , Mapping of sequence tagged sites, shotgun sequencing, survey of human genome, sequence polymorphism: SSLP ‘s& SNP’s, gene identification by exon trapping.

Restriction endonucleases & types, ligases, Alkaline phosphatases, types, S1 nuclease& application. Cloning vectors: plasmids, cosmids, phagemids, YAC,BAC, construction & properties.

DNA libraries: g DNA, cDNA , Screening library by hybridization , screening of library by Immunological procedure, chromosome walking ,expression vectors, Analysis of gene expression, reporter genes for monitoring gene expression. Reporter system: luciferase, GreenFluorescent Protein, gene fusion.

Transcriptome analysis, DNA microarrays for gene expression, serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE).

UNIT II : Forensic Botany and Wildlife Forensic

Forensic Botany: Various types of wood, timber varieties, dendrochronology, seeds and leaves– their identification and matching.

Diatoms -Types morphology, methods of isolation from different tissue and forensic importance of planktons- especially diatom, forensic significance in drowning cases.

Aspects of Forensic Palynology biological role, how to collect and store samples correctly, production and dispersal patterns, sample preparation, what samples to collect & how many, pollen analysis, correct ID, size of pollen counts, , strengths and limitations of the forensic pollen data, preventing contamination, case histories as guides to future work.

Identification and examination of controlled plants and plant products with the help of morphological, anatomical and chemical analyses. (e.g. Cannabis indica, Papaver somniferum, Coca (Cocaine Plant) – Erythroxylum species, Betelnut (Arecanut) – Areca catechu L., Khat – Catha edulis (Vahl) Forssk. ex Endl., Kava (Kava-Kava) – Piper methysticum G. Forst., Peyote – Lophophora williamsii, Tobacco – Nicotiana tabacum L.

Forensic plant pathology- Need, pathogen detection & diagnosis and investigation.

Wildlife forensics: Introduction to Wild Life and Wildlife Forensics, Protected and endangered species of Animals, Reptiles, Snakes and Plants, Identification and examination of physical evidence and poaching, Ornithology etc...

Nature Conservation and Anti-Poaching, Census of wild life population, Forensic Entomology- Study, Insects in Wildlife, Protection of Forest from Fire and other threats

Legal Aspect:-

Wildlife Protection Act- 1972(Relevant definitions, Hunting of wild animals, Protection of specified plants, Prohibition of trade or commerce in trophies, animal articles etc., penalties and offences.), Wildlife Forensic Expert, Report Writing.

Unit: III : Bioinformatics

Introduction of bioinformatics: Definition & History, Biological Databases: NCBI, Genbank, EMBL, Protein databases: Genpept, tremble, uniprot. Biological resources: Expasy, NCBI, Data analysis tools: BLAST, CLUSTALw (Multiple sequence alignment tools).

Methods for microbial detection & forensic diagnostic design: Nucleic acid diagnostics: Handheld advanced nucleic acid analyses (HANAA), luminex, molecular beacons.